The Upcoming Drama Production: Clue

Kristal Lin

The Niskayuna Drama Club will be debuting their production of the play Clue, on May 9 at 6:30,  continued by the following dates: May 10 at 7:30, May 16 at 6:30, and May 17 at 7:30. Tickets will be $10 at the door or can be preordered here: https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/84304. The play is a comedy/mystery with an exciting plot that centers around six strangers gathered at a remote mansion for a dinner party, where the truth behind blackmail and unexpected murders unfold.

The crew, led by co-directors and seniors Huma Iqbal and Emma Brooksby, has been on a rigorous schedule as the opening night rapidly approaches. Rehearsals have been every day after school, with the first few weeks ending at 4:45pm, now at 5:30pm and 6:30pm in the future. The actors have pulled through despite long, extensive monologues. However, due to the fast-paced nature of the play, the many moving parts posed to be more challenging for the crew. The set is usually purchased or reused from the already existing props with the exception of niche things which they build themselves. They came up with the idea of using rotating panels to form different rooms to accommodate the frequent scene changes. Brooksby had concerns about the logistics and practicality of such a feat, “We were worried [that] it wouldn’t work, and we’d have to go back to square one two weeks out,” She said. With the help of  stage manager and senior, Reed Kochneva, as well as Isaac Scranton, a substitute teacher in the Capital Region, the actors were able to work on a complete and efficient stage. Kochneva has been helping out for the past three shows and is well experienced at handling the set. Whether it's designing, building, keeping props in order or overseeing maintenance of the theater, Kochneva always gets the job done smoothly. “We all can’t say how grateful we are to Reed for their time and I know that our show is going to be amazing because of them,” said Iqbal. Other notable contributors include senior Nick Gruda, who takes care of all the technical aspects, such as lighting and sound. Mr. Dale, the club advisor not only keeps the crew on track, but also provides his library of music and sound effects, (some of which are his original work) to use in the show. He shares much of his experience with the co-directors, and likes to claim that they’d be fine without him, but they both agree that his input is essential to their success.

Both Iqbal and Brooksby were actors prior to their current roles, and the transition to not only being off stage, but also taking on the position of leaders hasn’t been all that smooth. Being a director means teaching and guiding, which brings a real sense of fulfillment as they watch the show come alive. However, the other side of directing is managing everything from the smallest to biggest details. Iqbal says, “Being a director is also keeping things in order and I’m not a very orderly person[myself].” Lots of trust is also built between them and the actors to make choices about their own character and memorize lines. As much as the co-directors love their cast, they both miss being on stage as an actor. Brooksby explains that in order to keep things looking and sounding the way they should, it’s better for them to see the show from the audience’s perspective. She’s also expressed her disappointment in not being able to join the others on stage for her senior year, though the satisfaction and pride that she feels for everything that the cast has accomplished outweighs that. Iqbal agrees and is truly grateful to have this opportunity and loves the cast, but also says, “To be honest, it’s been very difficult for me to keep myself off the stage… I think after this year, I’d like to just be an actor again.” 

This upcoming production of Clue has been a collective effort of the entire club. And as the curtains close on opening night, we are sure that all their hard work will pay off.